Ofcom advised to issue 'code of practice' for ISP speeds

The Ofcom-appointed Consumer Panel has demanded that the UK industry watchdog set up a standard for advertising accurate broadband speeds to consumers.

Subscribers to broadband services should also be able to opt out of agreements if they can prove that their speeds are not close to those advertised by the vendor, the panel concluded.

After speaking to the six leading ISPs in the UK to determine why actual and advertised speeds did not always agree, the panel advised that a code of practice would be needed to require vendors to explain certain factors that could determine why line speed may differ from advertised speeds.

Analyst Michael Philpott of Ovum said that more emphasis should be put on service.

"A more sensible outcome would be for ISPs to recognise that enough is enough and that their customers just do not like the 'up to' concept when it comes to broadband access, and therefore perhaps it is time for a new tariff scheme altogether."